Government

4:00 am

Mon April 15, 2013

A bill in the Nebraska Legislature would do away with park permit requirements for Nebraskans, but replace it with an additional fee.

Senator Bill Avery of Lincoln is sponsoring the legislation. It would replace the $25 yearly park permit fee for Nebraskans with a seven dollar fee on vehicle registrations. Out-of-state visitors to Nebraska parks would still be required to buy a permit.

State Senator Dan Watermeier says several amendments have been introduced.

"Proponents stress that state support for parks has been flat for years and that the current permit process can’t sustain the needs of the park in the future. Opponents of the measure emphasize that Nebraska already has one of the highest registration fees among the states. Senators stressed that motor vehicle fees should be designated for roads and should not be diverted for other purposes."

Others argued that a vehicle registration fee is unfair since not all Nebraskans visit state parks. Several amendments to the bill are pending and no hearing is scheduled on it at this time.